Beware the rising tide of big government

Published: Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 08:00 AM.

The Jan. 2 editorial “Insurance under water” covers some interesting data and figures, but it does not get to the root of FEMA’s arrears and actions it is initiating to bail itself out. Like most government programs (SSI, Medicare, etc.), it runs a reversal in dollars.

Dig a little further and you will find that the National Flood Insurance Program is under the Office of Homeland Security. It has remapped the entire country and decided that if you reside near water, whether it be a pond or lake, gulf, ocean or mud puddle, you are going to get flood insurance.

I have been at my current address for 25 years and the bank I had my loan through notified me that suddenly I had to have flood insurance. The worst hurricane I have seen had tidal water 100 feet from my door, and that was a 9-foot surge tide!

FEMA sent me a bundle of papers that required a new survey. It seems this part of Florida must be sinking. They would not accept GPS readings from several instruments and they would not accept a 20-year-old survey. Must be more to that?

There is a case on the West Coast where an individual lives 2,000 feet above sea level and he needs flood insurance.

Big Brother is coming after all our money from every direction. Best to clear your home loans if possible, then when the flood comes from the melting ice caps buy a sailboat.

JAMES DEGREGORIA Panama City

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The Jan. 2 editorial “Insurance under water” covers some interesting data and figures, but it does not get to the root of FEMA’s arrears and actions it is initiating to bail itself out. Like most government programs (SSI, Medicare, etc.), it runs a reversal in dollars.

Dig a little further and you will find that the National Flood Insurance Program is under the Office of Homeland Security. It has remapped the entire country and decided that if you reside near water, whether it be a pond or lake, gulf, ocean or mud puddle, you are going to get flood insurance.

I have been at my current address for 25 years and the bank I had my loan through notified me that suddenly I had to have flood insurance. The worst hurricane I have seen had tidal water 100 feet from my door, and that was a 9-foot surge tide!

FEMA sent me a bundle of papers that required a new survey. It seems this part of Florida must be sinking. They would not accept GPS readings from several instruments and they would not accept a 20-year-old survey. Must be more to that?

There is a case on the West Coast where an individual lives 2,000 feet above sea level and he needs flood insurance.

Big Brother is coming after all our money from every direction. Best to clear your home loans if possible, then when the flood comes from the melting ice caps buy a sailboat.